Moscow [Russia]: Accusing Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that any aggression against its neighbour and ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Moscow itself, Al Jazeera reported.
In televised remarks on Friday, Putin warned that Moscow would use any means at its disposal to protect Belarus, which forms a loose Union State with Russia, against possible attacks.
Putin said there were reports of plans for a Polish-Lithuanian unit to be used for operations in western Ukraine – parts of which in the past belonged to Poland – and ultimately to occupy territory there.
“But as far as Belarus is concerned, it is part of the Union State. Unleashing aggression against Belarus will mean aggression against the Russian Federation,” Al Jazeera quoted Putin as saying at a meeting of the Kremlin’s Security Council.
“We will respond to this with all the means at our disposal,” he added.
The Russian President further said that plans may be in the works to use an intended Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian joint military unit as an occupation force in western Ukrainian territories, and any Polish forces entering Lvov are certain to remain there.
“I cannot but comment on what has just been said [by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin] and on the press reports that have appeared about plans to create a so-called Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian unit.
We’re not talking here about some motley crew of mercenaries – there are enough of them there [in Ukraine] already, and they are being destroyed – but rather about a regular, well-oiled, well-equipped military formation that is planned to be used for operations on the territory of Ukraine,” TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying
He added, “In particular [this is being done] purportedly for ensuring the security of contemporary western Ukraine, but in fact – if you call things by their proper names – for the subsequent occupation of these territories. After all, the future outlook is obvious; if Polish units enter Lvov, for example, or some other territories in Ukraine, then they will be staying put there. And they will remain there for good”.
Poland, which is a NATO member and also one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies in its fight against Russia’s invasion, denied any territorial ambitions in Ukraine or Belarus, AL Jazeera reported.
“The pathetic bore from the Kremlin is once again repeating lies about Poland and also trying to falsify the truth about the war against Ukraine,” Poland’s deputy minister coordinator of special services, Stanislaw Zaryn, told the state-owned PAP news agency.
“Vladimir Putin is also using historical revisionism again to spread false accusations against Poland,” she added.
